<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>I love you (you say goodbye) by winewinerainrain</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26819023">I love you (you say goodbye)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/winewinerainrain/pseuds/winewinerainrain'>winewinerainrain</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, F/F, Time Travel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 00:14:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,557</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26819023</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/winewinerainrain/pseuds/winewinerainrain</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A time travel angsty fic that I wrote at 1 AM.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adora/Catra (She-Ra)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I love you (you say goodbye)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is so shitty tbh, but I hope you enjoy it. I explained it a little at the end because it is very confusing.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> Her boots stepped on the grassy pathway, guiding her to the small cabin that radiates a certain warmth she’s looking for. A warmth she will always come back for. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Luggages dropped behind her, Adora opened the door, greeted with the scent of newly baked bread and a sight she had never seen in two years. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Adora’s mind goes blank. All the apologies and the explanations disappeared like a popped bubble in her head. All of her memories of Catra relapsed, all of the promises and tears she had broken and caused, all of the pain she left Catra to deal with.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> It might be selfish and Catra was just too kind. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Because when Catra says her name, she pulls her hips and kisses her. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “I love you.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>"Adora, you don't have to do this, you know?" Glimmer says, squeezing her hand.</p><p> </p><p>"I know."</p><p> </p><p>Bow gives Glimmer a look and nods. The two of them could never change Adora's mind. She's always been so stubborn, impulsive, and rash, the couple always had a hard time with stopping her from doing risky things.</p><p> </p><p>Adora lays on the bed. She could feel the machine whirring under her, the heat rising up from its engine. </p><p> </p><p>"Adora, please remember this, the flow of time will always be the same. Even if you change something, the outcome will still be the same."</p><p> </p><p>Bow puts a hand on Glimmer's shoulder, halting her from further talking.</p><p> </p><p>There was a minute filled with silence, then Adora spoke.</p><p> </p><p>"I know."</p><p> </p><p>Glimmer nodded at her partner as she codes the input they need. Bow on the other hand covers Adora's health and her body's statistics. </p><p> </p><p>The Moonstone Project has always been their dream. It was just a mere thought and it motivated the three of them to further explore the world of science and technology. They have built inventions and big advancements in the area of technology, but they have always wanted to create a time machine.</p><p> </p><p>It was a silly idea. But Adora chose to pursue it. </p><p> </p><p>"Starting engines in three…"</p><p> </p><p>Adora closes her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>"Two…"</p><p> </p><p>She could hear the faint sound of the river.</p><p> </p><p>"One."</p><p> </p><p>She was back.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>She tried to remember the rules and regulations when time travelling. But Adora was too caught up with everything around her she couldn't breathe.</p><p> </p><p>Adora gasped for air, remembering that was the number 1 thing she must do first. </p><p> </p><p>That's when she realized that it worked.</p><p> </p><p>It worked.</p><p> </p><p>Adora smiled so wide her jaw would hurt. </p><p> </p><p>She stared at the bags carried by her hands and gripped them tight. It's real. She kneels and feels the wet grass. Adora's eyes widened more as if she never saw or felt the land before.</p><p> </p><p>Adora drops her baggage and runs to the door of the cabin in front of her. Adora stops by the wooden door, her hands resting on it. She knows what happens next and what will happen in the future. A grimace appears on her face.</p><p> </p><p>She's here to change it.</p><p> </p><p>Adora opens the door. She immediately smells the oven and newly baked bread. She feels the warmth the sun feeds them. </p><p> </p><p>She sees Catra standing in the middle of the room like what she imagined.</p><p> </p><p>They both stared at each other. Catra's eyes were blank and empty, while Adora's eyes were full of confusion, worry, and happiness that she really doesn't know what she feels.</p><p> </p><p>Adora waits for it.</p><p> </p><p>Seconds passed by.</p><p> </p><p>Minutes.</p><p> </p><p>There must be something wrong. Was this just a paused simulation? But everything felt so real, this isn't some usual holographic memory she puts herself in.</p><p> </p><p>"Catra?" She calls, taking a step forward.</p><p> </p><p>Catra stays exactly where she is.</p><p> </p><p>"Please tell me this isn't a simulation."</p><p> </p><p>The brunette girl purses her lips and closes her eyes, "I wish it was."</p><p> </p><p>Adora's heart breaks.</p><p> </p><p>She reaches out her hand, but Catra steps away from her. Adora wished she knows why the love of her life is distant to her.</p><p> </p><p>Adora wished she knew why everything changed.</p><p> </p><p>"I came back for you, I'm here now," Adora says, almost pleading, as she steps forward, grabbing Catra' arms softly.</p><p> </p><p>"You always came back Adora."</p><p> </p><p>Adora felt relieved and yet the look on Catra's eyes were pure disbelief, grief, and pain that she could never understand why.</p><p> </p><p>"Why?" Catra moves away, "Why come back when you're going to leave me again?"</p><p> </p><p>"I came back now Catra, I will never leave you again, please."</p><p> </p><p>Catra squints, "You never stayed."</p><p> </p><p>Adora wanted to hug her tight and tell her that everything will be alright. She wanted to tell her that she's now home, that she did everything to come back to her arms.</p><p> </p><p>Adora wanted to tell her that she defied destiny and time for her.</p><p> </p><p>Instead she holds her hand out, "I'll always stay."</p><p> </p><p>Catra, despite all the things that happened, looked at Adora's eyes. She looks at the hand offered and smiles.</p><p> </p><p>"Promise?"</p><p> </p><p>Adora smiles.</p><p> </p><p>"I promise."</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Adora wakes up to see Catra hugging her tightly as if she's going anywhere. She chuckles and kisses Catra's forehead.</p><p> </p><p>She's not going anywhere.</p><p> </p><p>Catra wakes up with a ring on her finger.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>"You promised me Adora," Catra said softly as they hugged and danced to a classic song being played on the radio.</p><p> </p><p>"I know baby," Adora says, kissing Catra's lip with tenderness, "I'll come back for you."</p><p> </p><p>Catra, despite all the things that happened, stared at her fiance's eyes and kissed her softly.</p><p> </p><p>"I know."</p><p> </p><p>Catra doesn't.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>A decade later, she hears about her.</p><p> </p><p>"Brightmoon Company and The Horde Industries are doing collaborative research about time travel machines with the brilliant prodigy Adora Grayskull! Lucky for us, we managed to have a quick chat with her-"</p><p> </p><p>Catra turns the radio off.</p><p> </p><p>Catra puts the dough inside the oven. She believes that baking bread is a good omen that Adora will come back. It always has been.</p><p> </p><p>"We have more stock here, boss, why bake again? Geez you overdo yourself," Scorpia says.</p><p> </p><p>Catra smiles, "It's a good sign that someone is coming."</p><p> </p><p>But Catra knows she doesn't believe in anything anymore.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Adora drops her luggage behind her and rushes to the door.</p><p> </p><p>"Catra!"</p><p> </p><p>She finds a tall woman with silver hair in the kitchen, baking bread while wearing an apron.</p><p> </p><p>Catra's apron.</p><p> </p><p>"You must be Adora," the girl says sternly yet kind.</p><p> </p><p>She gives Adora a pained smile.</p><p> </p><p>"She waited for you."</p><p> </p><p>Adora became frantic, "Where is she?"</p><p> </p><p>Scorpia sighed and removed her apron, "The thing is, boss' patience isn't forever."</p><p> </p><p>Adora was too late.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>She was 40 when she gave up travelling around the world finding for Catra.</p><p> </p><p>Adora had angered her bosses too much and threatened her that she'll lose her license if she doesn't finish the Moonstone project.</p><p> </p><p>The reason why she lost Catra.</p><p> </p><p>It's like she forgot something. She didn't intend to.</p><p> </p><p>But she forgot that this was the reason why she finished it and worked on it until she passed out.</p><p> </p><p>She forgot that all of these things are for Catra.</p><p> </p><p>This time, she'll stay.</p><p> </p><p>"Three…"</p><p> </p><p>"Two…"</p><p> </p><p>"One…"</p><p> </p><p>This time she knows what she promised.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>Adora didn't hesitate to slam the door open, Catra's name already on the tip of her tongue when Catra speaks.</p><p> </p><p>"Adora."</p><p> </p><p>She knows this.</p><p> </p><p>She knows how this happens.</p><p> </p><p>Catra smiled at her softly, a pained expression forming beneath it.</p><p> </p><p>"The…" she trailed off, a grimace forming on her lips, "flight must have been tiring."</p><p> </p><p>Adora couldn't speak.</p><p> </p><p>She knows.</p><p> </p><p>Catra knows.</p><p> </p><p>They both knew everything.</p><p> </p><p>Catra smiles and takes her apron off, "I have a feeling this happened before."</p><p> </p><p>Adora's tears were threatening to spill. She moves forward and holds Catra's hands, "How many…?"</p><p> </p><p>Catra shooks her head.</p><p> </p><p>"I know what you'll do baby," Catra grins despite the painful throb in her chest, "You'll put your hands on my hips," she says as she holds Adora's hands and puts it on her hips.</p><p> </p><p>Apologies aren't even enough more.</p><p> </p><p>"You pull me close."</p><p> </p><p>She hugs Catra close.</p><p> </p><p>"And kiss me."</p><p> </p><p>Adora kisses Catra tenderly and softly, her tears spilling while their small little kiss gets sloppy.</p><p> </p><p>Gods, it hurts so much to know that all this time, she repeated this mistake for thousands of timelines. It hurts so much to feel Catra bathed in the sunlight as she bakes them bread, or to hear her call her name every single time they meet in a timeline. </p><p> </p><p>It hurts so much to love knowing how things will end no matter what they do.</p><p> </p><p>They pull away.</p><p> </p><p>Catra steps backward, hands close to her chest.</p><p> </p><p>"You say goodbye."</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> (Adora left Catra for the Moonstone Project and regrets everything. She uses the machine to go back in time where she chose to take a break and visit Catra in her cabin. She leaves again for work and promises Catra and herself that the past won't happen again. But history always repeats itself.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Adora didn't know that Catra also time travelled to that time Adora first time travelled. She tried to change everything but it never happened. They both ended breaking up. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> The continuous loop of time travels resulted in a new timeline where Catra remembered everything and Adora doesn't. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Catra gives in for the last time. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Adora never came back. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> They met again for the very last time. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Catra chose to let go.) </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>